Hillsborough; 35yrs on...

They're going to trial now so it's not the legal circles we need to worry about - the jury will decide.

 

Yeah, I see exactly where your coming from, it's now totally in the CPS's hands, and they aren't renowned for being up to the job in high profile cases.

 

Bettison's ****ed

 

The case against Bettison has been dropped by the CPS.

 

Literally just heard this. Why the **** have they done that? It's a ****ing scandal on top of a scandal

 

In a statement following the dropping of charges against Sir Norman Bettison, the Hillsborough Family Support Group said: "We have grave concerns about the handling of this case by the CPS and can confirm that we will be exercising our right to an independent review under the Right to Review scheme.

"It is our view that the wrong charge was brought in the first place and we will be using the review process to argue this point strongly.

"We know how our supporters will feel about this decision and, of course, we all share all of those feelings."

 

Hillsborough charges against Sir Norman Bettison dropped

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• Hillsborough trials

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Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionSir Norman Bettison had faced four counts of misconduct in a public office
A former chief inspector accused of trying to blame Liverpool fans for the 1989 Hillsborough disaster has had all charges against him dropped.

Sir Norman Bettison, then of South Yorkshire Police, had faced four counts of misconduct in a public office.

He was accused of telling lies about the "culpability of fans" and his role in the wake of the tragedy.

Prosecutors said insufficient evidence meant there was no real prospect of securing a conviction.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said because of changes in the evidence of two witnesses, and the death of a third, it would discontinue the case.

The decision was taken following a review of the evidence and was confirmed at a hearing at Preston Crown Court.

'Grave concerns'
Five others, including David Duckenfield who is accused of manslaughter by gross negligence of 95 fans, are due to face trial next year.

Mr Duckenfield was match commander at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium, when 96 Liverpool fans were fatally injured in a crush in the terrace pens.

Under the law at the time, there can be no prosecution for the death of the 96th victim, Tony Bland, because he died more than a year and a day after his injuries were caused

In a statement following the dropping of charges against Sir Norman Bettison, the Hillsborough Family Support Group said: "We have grave concerns about the handling of this case by the CPS and can confirm that we will be exercising our right to an independent review under the Right to Review scheme.

"It is our view that the wrong charge was brought in the first place and we will be using the review process to argue this point strongly.

"We know how our supporters will feel about this decision and, of course, we all share all of those feelings."

 

Two witnesses 'changed their evidence' and a third has died. It doesn't take genius to see what's happened here. ****.

 

Is this ALL charges being dropped against Bettison? WTF?

 

Although this just highlights what a ****ing joke our legal system is, nothing shocks or surprises me anymore.

Always felt the establishment which these guilty ****s represent would never allow it. esp one made a sir!!!!!!!

****ers the lot of them.

 

2 months ago:

You were right mate .... unfortunately.

 

It merely reinforces the view that the initial cover up had tentacles that went right to the very top, and putting Bettison on trial would have almost certainly have exposed this, as he’d have potentially spilled the beans in order to try and save his own skin. So the establishment have decided its best swerved, as they wouldn’t have wanted to see the Witches legacy further besmirched.

 

I'm not sure whether this forum counts as social media in the same way as twitter - I can't imagine that those who look into social media activity would even know this forum exists - but if it does can everyone please be 'restrained' in what they say as requested by the HFSG in order that the other 5 ongoing prosecutions aren't jeopardised.

 

Of course we will jb.

But we all know the system is corrupt to the core.

Wonder how big that rabbit hole really is

 

Indeed. Bettison was more guilty than Duckenfield. Duckenfield was an incompetent officer who panicked when faced with a difficult (though not unprecedented nor unrehearsed) situation, and whose actions, and inactions, led to the disaster. His major crime, and that of SYP, was to immediately try a cover-up (the gates were smashed down by the fans) and then a smear campaign when this lie was uncovered. And that's where Bettison comes in - the greater crime was not the rash, panic in the aftermath, but the cold, calculated campaign, establishment-backed, of the cover-up and smear campaign.

There's a few politicians and press barons raising a glass to this decision, as well as Bettison. All the more reason then for a judicial review and a private prosecution through the civil courts. Got to get that gilt-edged pension off the smug bastard at some stage.

JF96

 

I'll say no more.

 

You're absolutely 100& correct. ****ing whore that she was.

 

This would be classed as social media jb, during the inquests Sky Sports opened a comments section under one of the reports from Warrington, the bile and hate was terrible so I emailed Sky Sports and reminded them that it was forbidden to discuss proceedings on social media.
Their editor replied with an apology and immediately closed the comments section, she agreed that ban on social media applied to them and that they'd made an error of judgement by opening it for comments.
So this site which is a comments/discussion site would come under the same restrictions I'd assume?

 

You have to wonder whether the original CPS decision was just some nice PR. the establishment wanting to be seen to act, knowing full well that they will rescind that decision further down the line.

For me, the irony is that here was an individual who had affected the lives of Merseysiders in a most negative way and yet he chose to become the CC of their Police Force. You just could not make it up.

 

Good for you, you've just gone up one more notch in my estimation and I didn't think you could go any higher

I wasn't sure about social media definition i.e. does it include football forums. I wouldn't want to be part of anything that could be used as an excuse to call off the trials. It's why I've mostly commented on here using the facts as I've found them out, just in case.